User reviews

Eight Eyes, to me, especially after viewing the Blu-ray extras (be prepared to get talked down to by a co-writer!), is more of a technical feat than anything else. Vinegar Syndrome (in their first original film production) seemed to have set out to create as authentic of a 70's grindhouse (also, giallo) experience as possible. I'd say they succeeded. So... kudos? There IS still a movie to write.

It's certainly well-shot and well-acted, with standout performances by Emily Sweet as Cass, and Bruno Veljanovski as Saint Peter. Also, incredible setting. You really can't go wrong filming horror in Serbia. I've seen some seriously messed-up stuff sourced from this region of Europe.

Where this film really falters is the story. It is precisely one half Hostel, the strangers-in-a-strange-land trope, and one half Texas Chainsaw Massacre (substitute the mask of flesh with a mask of wax spatterings... and lots of unpleasant nudity). For what seems like such an insane film production, this horror movie surprised me precisely ZERO times. There is one kind of a new-agey twist (the concept of the eight eyes), but it's pretty heavily foreshadowed, and you're led right to it. Like any other event in this movie, you're always led to what would be the most logical choice if you're reading Horror 101. And it follows through right to the final frame! ...Insert The Price Is Right losing sound here... This is obviously what disappointed me most, in what appeared to be a promising endeavor.

Caught this tonight on Shudder and really liked it even though I didn't understand the ending, which I will not.spoil for you. It doesn't reach the level of gruesome horror of A Serbian Film or Life and Death of a Porno Gang, but it's in that neighborhood. There's a sense of menace early on and you'll think you know where that ominous feeling Is coming from, but you'll be wrong. The tension is unrelenting and the characters and situations are interesting. The films atmosphere reminded me a little of Hostel but the plots of the two movies are very different, of course. It kept me guessing what was going on. But the ending was so crazy all I could do was shake my damn head and say Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!

Austin Jennings creates a darkly romantic portrait of Serbian family dysfunction. It explores a couple's (Cass and Gav) travels while filming footage with vintage equipment.

The story follows them until meeting a stranger, Saint Peter. Then like with many cinematic tropes of the American tourists in a foreign country, things go array.

It's slow moving but if you are a film technie, this film is for you. The director explores Italian filmmaking, 70s Giallo and horror genres by using practical effects with a selection of cameras. Although Jennings really tried to produce something new, rather than mimicking.

The acting by Emily Sweet as Cass, the woman in peril, holds the storytelling with the performance of Bruno Veljanovski as Saint Peter. Location shots are well photographed and as well as interior shots of trains, apartments, etc.

If you're in the mood for a bizarre and twisted journey that blends the mundane with the otherworldly, 'Eight Eyes' might be the cinematic trip you didn't know you needed. Directed by Austin Jennings, this 2023 film takes a couple's strained relationship and hurls it into the realm of the surreal, leaving viewers both intrigued and bewildered.

As the film opens, we're introduced to Cass and Gav, a couple whose relationship is hanging by a thread. Their decision to travel through Serbia seems like a last-ditch effort to salvage their love, but little do they know, they're about to stumble into a web of strangeness spun by the enigmatic Saint Peter. The initial setup is intriguing; a troubled couple, a mysterious local, and the exotic backdrop of the Balkans create a perfect storm of tension and intrigue.

Jennings masterfully crafts an atmosphere of unease as the trio embarks on their impromptu adventure. The Serbian landscapes, with their rugged beauty, become a character in their own right, adding an eerie sense of isolation. The film excels at building a sense of foreboding, with Saint Peter's eccentric behavior and cryptic references to psychic abilities leaving the audience as uncertain as Cass and Gav about what lies ahead.

As the story unfolds, 'Eight Eyes' takes a sharp turn into the realm of the occult, blurring the lines between reality and hallucination. The rituals and supernatural elements introduced are both captivating and disorienting, making it challenging for viewers to discern what's real. This descent into the surreal is both the film's strength and weakness. While it provides an intriguing twist, it also risks losing viewers who prefer a more grounded narrative. The film's exploration of the human psyche and the potential for self-deception is fascinating, but it may leave some viewers feeling like they're being led down a rabbit hole of confusion.

The performances are commendable, with the actors successfully conveying the growing unease and desperation within their characters. As the story progresses, the dynamics between the trio become increasingly complex, adding layers to the narrative. However, the script's reliance on cryptic dialogue and vague motivations might leave some viewers frustrated, wishing for more clarity amidst the chaos.

'Eight Eyes' is undoubtedly a bold and daring cinematic endeavor. It offers a unique blend of psychological thriller and occult horror, but it may not be everyone's cup of tea. The film's exploration of the unknown and the human mind is both its allure and its downfall, as it can be simultaneously fascinating and frustrating.

Emily Sweet delivers a strong, and very believable, performance as "Cass" in the first half of "Eight Eyes." Unfortunately, this character study is lost (or at least put to the side) in the second half of the film.

Sweet is entirely credible as the increasingly exasperated young wife of "Gav" (Bradford Thomas) who befriends the rather odd "Saint Peter" (Bruno Veljanovski) during their journey through Serbia. The smiling (or is it smirking?) Saint Peter functions as their erst-while tour guide from early in the film, though Cass almost immediately suspects he is not what he represents. She certainly resents Saint Peter's inappropriate comments and hair-trigger tendencies, despite Gav's decision to continually placate their new "friend" in the name of getting along.

Of course, it is Cass' suspicions that eventually prove correct, but by that point the film has left behind the careful character studies and simply copies (as other viewers have noted) such films as "Hostel" and the "Texas Chain Saw Massacre." The second half does not so much suffer from this decision as waste an opportunity to be a different type of entry.

You wonder why the makers of films like "Eight Eyes" pull out all the stops in making a film that looks like a grindhouse flick from the '70s when the movie itself could only have been made in modern times.

It's shot on old cameras, has retro-style introductory titles, and a low-key synthesiser score like something sampled on a Moog, but the relationships and characters are straight out of any modern movie.

It seems to clash.

It doesn't help that most of the movie feels like a rip-off of "Hostel", a movie from the new millennium, and only seems to ape "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" toward the end of it.

I didn't really get it. Why evoke so much of Yugoslav culture and history, just to finish off in a splatter fest that could have happened anywhere?

Nor did I really understand what the ending was getting at. There's a long hallucinatory sequence that was maybe just in the movie to make it seem more dingy and grindhouse?

Also I didn't really understand how our unlikeable protagonist went from the streets of Macedonia to the hide-out of the bad guys, nor what the bad guys actually wanted with them. What was with the naked fat guy in the mask?

Maybe that was just a nod to Texas Chainsaw, ie. This movie's version of Leatherface.

Whatever. By that time I was mostly just waiting for the movie to end.

Eight Eyes takes you on a wonderful trip of tension building and release cycles. 16mm film, in camera effects, and the eastern European setting mesh well to create a cohesive art direction for this memorable film.

I was pleasantly surprised by the restrained use of gore. What was there was effective, but never so much or so often as to become desensitizing or tiresome.

The acting was fantastic (especially female lead and the main antagonist) with a solid script. It also includes an interesting story/thematic twist on the genre. So, while the film nailed the genre(s) it was going for, it was also unique and memorable. Definitely worth a watch for anyone into indie or throwback/analog horror.

Despite the good reviews from fans of Eastern European horror flicks, I did not get this one. It was like Hostel but with a touch of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but less exciting than both. It was cliche, and the scenes were all over the place. I cannot imagine how this got so much rave and good reviews. It was underacted and the cinematography was ineffective in depicting the situation. I wished the movie was longer, and the story had so much to offer other than bland horrifying scenes and underwhelming chase scenes. There was a lack of good character arc and the story was linear, so much so that the entire film was boring to watch.

Part Hostel, part Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and part bizarre neon horror.

Eight Eyes might not quite fully come together in the end, and might be an offender of style over substance. But dang, it was still a pretty cool movie.

It looks fantastic, the acting is pretty good, and it doesn't come off as amateur hour, even though I am sure the budget was low. The special effects are great, and while it is a slow burn, I was pretty locked in and engaged. So, it does enough right for me to still give it a full throated recommend and an 8 star rating for Eight Eyes.

Definitely my kind of thing, and I have a feeling this will appeal to fans of the genre.

Vinegar Syndrome's maiden production, Eight Eyes, is a love letter to horror -- specifically the grindhouse and exploitation films of the 1970s. Although the film is set in modern times, the 16mm shooting gives it a grainy, retro quality which any lover of old school films will undoubtedly appreciate. The occasional glimpses of modern tech provide a jarring (though not in a bad way) reminder that the action is not actually set in the '70s. The retro vibe is not overdone, however, and the film, although paying tribute to many other films, has a voice entirely its own.

For some, the first act will be the more effective. It is relatively slow-paced, building tension with a familiar scenario: an American couple tour the Balkans (Serbia) and meet an enigmatic local. We do not know what lurks behind Saint Peter's apparent hospitality, but we know it is not anything good. Had I stopped watching at this point, I would likely have rated this film only a 6, ot 7 at most. I can appreciate an effective slow-burn, but the second act is (for me, anyway) truly where Eight Eyes' strength lies.

Without giving too much away, it pays clear homage to Texas Chainsaw Massacre, while incorporating a trace of cosmic horror. This is delivered in excellent, jittery technocolour, giving the film a twist that is not only original, but a visual treat. It also boasts some wonderful set pieces. Some things are, however, left to the viewer's imagination, so for those looking for an film that prioritises tight storytelling, this one may lean too heavily towards style over substance. However, for horror fans who want to see a new twist on what we love about the grindhouse era, Vinegar Syndrome has risen to the challenge admierably.

Sans the Chainsaw and a more naked Leatherface.

God, I love (the Streaming Service) Shudder. ALWAYS bringing the most unique and wonderful horrors to my eyes. I just opened up the app tonight to see what treasures they had instore this week. Barely reading the synopsis of this, I dove right in and was so very pleased.

This movie claims to be an homage to 70's Exploitation Cinema. To be honest, I'm unfamiliar with this subgenre. But, I LOVED how this was shot from the very beginning. It truly captured and mesmerized me.

An American couple is all-but backpacking through the so-called ruins of the former Yugoslavia, in Serbia and Macedonia when they meet "Saint Peter." He's playful, knowledgeable and willing to take them places they can film and explore. Despite the female-half of the couple being annoyed/suspicious, they journey down a dark path of the Macabre and might not make it back to sanity.

This movie was super weird and had me hooked all the way. I loved how strange it was and despite it not being even slightly original, it still was its own thing and it was fun ride through a 70-style of filmmaking set in modern times.

Don't look for rhyme/reason here. It really felt like a love-letter to the 70s and someone's really creative vision. Yes, it ultimately felt like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre for some aspects, but it also channeled a little of Suspira and Hostel.

Mercifully, it's a quick watch and while it's set in 2023 when it came out, they really went out of their way to dress the cast in the 70s. I would highly recommend this experimental cinema to true horror fans looking for something both familiar and wildly different.

***

Final Thoughts: Not sure if this was intentional, but "Eight Eyes" was 88 minutes. At least it was from the Shudder copy. Per IMDb, it's 89 minutes.